Tearable closure



Nov. 9, 1937. H A, SKOV 2,098,555

TEARABLE CLOSURE Filed Apr1.24, 1934 Patentes Nov. e, 1937 UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE 2,098,555 TEARABLE nem-y Arnold skov, Frederiksberg, near copenhagen, Denmark Apptication April 24, 1934, serial No. '122,166

, In Denmark April '29, 1933 metal, for example aluminium having a thickness of about 0,1 mm. and provide them with a tab or linger grip by means of whichl the closure or cap may be opened by being torn. Sucli closures may be produced and applied without heating'and their application maybe eected merely by tightening, for instance, a wire loop around a closur placed on the neck of a bottle. When the wire loop or the like is tightened the closure is tight- I ened over the mouth and the top of the neckA of the bottle and at the same time it is drawn into the annular recess of the neck below the upper, bead thereof. Y Closures of the above ln'nd consisting exclusive- 2d `ly of metal, such as aluminium, are relatively expensive and attempts have been made therefore, to make substantially similar bottle closures from fibrous material such as pasteboard or similar cheap non-metallic' material. These closures and applied with the use of heat, as otherwise they wi1l1not retain their shape.

The present invention concerns the manufacture of a closure adapted to beremoved by tearing, which is cheaper than'such closures consist-- ing exclusively .of aluminium, for example 0.1 mm. thick, arid which consists mainly of nonmetallic material, but which may, however, be shaped and applied withoutY heating.

According to the invention a container closure l or bottle cap having a linger grip by means of which it may be torn open, consists of one or more metallic layers adhered 'to one or more nonmetallic layers, and its several layers are of such 40 thickness that the metallic layer or layers are of the or approximately the minimum thickness required to give Ythe necessary stiffness to the closure perse to allow it to be produced and applied without heating. 'I'he said closure 5 preferably consists for example of one or more aluminium layers, the thickness of which is between 0,02 and 0,06 mm., in combination with a cheap non-metallic material; it becomes there.

in such a way thatthe combined layers of mate- 'rial make it practically as rigid as a similar closure 55 consisting exclusively of thin metal, for example,

' It is not new per-se to use several layers oi mal l have the disadvantages that they must be shaped (ci.` 21a-42) aluminium about 0,1 mm; thick, and-therefore the non-metallic layer or layers of the closure will normally be thicker than the metal layer or layers thereof. A closure is therefore provided which is essentially cheaper than similar closures consisting exclusively of thin metal. l

The present invention relates not only to the container closure, but also to the material from whichfthe closurebr cap is made. r

terial adhered together in a container closure or in a material for therproduction of container closures, asv crown cork closures are knownwhich consist of one or more metal layers adhered together with one ormore layers of no n- 15 'metallic material, such for example as paper. Such closures are however of adiierent type from a closure according to the invention for they are :glutinant or an agglutinant forming part of the non-metallic layer or layers of the material. Al- 30 ternatively one ormore oi the non-metallic layers may consist of materials adhering automatically to the metal when applied, thereto, for instance the closure or material may be provided with a surface layer of a lac-like composition.

The invention further consists inthe new or improved feature, combination and arrangement of parts of several forms of closures which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:-. Fig. 1 shows on an enlarged scale a section through a common bottle capsule provided with a tab serving'to tear oi the capsule in order to open .the bottle, thecapsule consisting of a multi-layer material comprising only one very thin layer of 4;, metal, such as aluminiuml 2 is also'an enlarged sectionalelevation of a` 'closure provided -a stiilfening iiange and consisting o! the same multi-layer material as the closure aceordin'gto Fig. 1. 50i Fig. 3isa planview ofthe closmeshowninFlg.'

2 on a smaller, scale.

Figs. 4 and 5 show sectional elevations of closures corresponding to Fig. 1 but formed in a diierent manner therefrom.

Figs. 6 and 'I are diagrammatic sections through the multi-layer material in two further embodiments of the invention.

BothinFig. 1andin1lig.2theclosurecon sistsofanouterorsurfacelayeraofmetaLfor example aluminium or a corresponding material. Themetallayeraisverythin andneed onlybe a few hundredths of a millimeter thick, to give, together with the inner or bottom layer b, the necearystiifness to the closure per se in order to enable it to be shaped` and applied without being heated. The metal layer a may lfor example, consistofaluminiumrolledouttoathickness of between 0,02 and 0,06 mm. The bottom layer b is adhered to the metal layera by a suitable agglutinant or by means of its own adhesive power and it consists of a relatively thick layer of material such as paper parchment, cardboard or mother suitable material. The bottom layer b is normally more than twice as thick as the surface-layer a, being from 0,1 to 0,3 mm. or more thick. Thus the total thickness' of the multiwel' material may be from 0,15 to 0,4 mm. apart from agglutinant, depending on the strength requiredbytheusetowhichtheclosureistobe put. For the choice of the relative thickne of themetallayera, andofthe innerpaperorlike layer b, regard is taken of the fact that the whole multi-layer material must have the necessary stiffness and be able to be shaped cold, and that the metal layer a must be as thin as posible, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost of the closure.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the closure represented in Fig. 2 in sectional elevation and shows how the tab serving to tear Such a closure projects from the ilange d. The bottom layer b of the closure reprented in Figures 1 and 2, which consists of paper cardboard or the like, may be formed from several layers of material. Normally the bottom layer b is treated with parafln, lac or a corresponding substance or made resistant to liquids in some other way before or after the formation of the closure. For the bottom layer b materials mayalsobeusedwhichareinthemselvessuiilciently impervious to moisture. The closures are normally made from a multi-layer material blank of plate-shape, but nothing prevents the closures from being manufactured exclusively i'romverythin metal platescorrespondingtothe surface layer a and applying the non-metallic layer b later, but it need not necesarily be applied totbebottomfaceofthetabcwhichserves to tear oii the closure The closurerepreaentedin Fig.4dii!ersfrom thoseshiwninFigalandZonlyinthatthe closureorthematerialfromwhichitismadeis a multi-layer material with metallic top and `bottomlayerseandfrespectivelyandwithanintermediatelayergofnon-metallicmaterialoia suitablekind. Thetwometallayersaare maderoftheleast total thickness, approximately that of the metal layer a in Flax. 1 and 2.

Hg.5illustratesaclosuremadefromthesame two-layer material as employed for the manufactureoftheclosureaccordingtoliigs.1andiLanal'V diiierstherefromonlyinthatthemetallsyera isaninner orlower layenwhilethethickernon- `metallic layerbisanupper orouter layer.

Pig.N` 6 shows diagrammatically a multi-layer'` Fig.,7 showsanupper covering layermof' somemnterialgivingaiineoutersurfacetothe multi-layer material. A layer n is formed of paper or another corresponding material, while the necessary thin aluminimn layer o is covered on its lower side with a layer p of material such as "Cellophane".

The invention is not limited to the constructional forms of the closure or multi-layer material as illustrated, the main principle of the invention residing exclusively therein that I employ a. combination of one or more metal layers which are essentially thinner than that from which closures of the same type are normally made. and another or other non-metallic layers. the stillness and strength of the material per se being suited to the intended use of the closure, while at the same time the least possible total thickness of the metal layer or layers is employed while ensuring that the material per se is of such stiffness that the closures may be made and applied without heating this not being the case with closures consisting exclusively of nonmetallic materials.

I claim:-

1. A container closure in the form of a bottle cap, of the type which is adapted to be removed by tearing by means of a hand grip and formed of a material the strength of which corresponds to the strength of solid aluminium in a thickness of about 0.10 mm. consisting of at least one metallic layer and at least one thicker layer of nonmctallic material adhesively secured to the metallic material, the metallic material containing metal of a thickness between 0.02 and 0.06 mm.

while the thickness of the non-metallic material.

metallic layers secured together arlhesiv'ely,`

wherein the metallic portion of the cap does not exceed 0.06 mm. in thickness and the non-metaliicportionofthecapisofnogreaterthickness thanisrequiredtorenderthecapstrongenough to retainits shape afterbeingshaped andapplied in a cold state.

HENRY ARNOLD SKO?. 

